Welcome.
These are some of the attempts at verse that I have made over the years. I trust that they are to the glory of the Lord Jesus - and that putting them here is to His glory too.
I have now posted most that I have written at least once but continue in case a new audience finds new blessing. Occasionally I throw in some other verse.
Comment are welcome.

Tuesday, 27 December 2016

Clearly that day was not when firstRebecca used the well's resourceFor strength to slake the camel's thirstCame since the well was her recourse.What kindness Thou hast shown to us, Blest Spirit, in that Thou wilt beA constant living well, and thusTo give the power to go with Thee.Such kindness, too, Rebecca showedAnd this is what God's people showBecause God's grace has overflowedTo those who walk in Thee below.

Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Out of the earth a mist arose,Providing moisture to the ground;In this environment God choseTo make Man from the tilth He found.Blest Spirit, fruit which God desiresNeeds more that what grace has endued;But what will suit God's eye requiresWhat by Thyself hast been imbued.How blest that goodness may be knownIn what Thy patience has secured;What endless goodness Thou hast shownSo that God's pleasure is assured.

Wednesday, 7 December 2016

If the wind blows where it will Why did it blow upon me? Touched by the sovereign Wind Now there is life that is real; Lacking that wonderful birth All that the Spirit reveals Would have been lost to my mist.

If I am conscious of life Pulsing within me towards God It must be life that's divine. What, by the Spirit, is wrought, Quickened together with Christ, He will be sure to conform Unto Christ's image, in fine.

If I experience joy While I am still in this world, So that my spirit is warmed, This is because of His work: Now He is shedding abroad God's own ineffable love Where in my heart He is lodged.

If I am able to cry Using the voice of a son - Words, "Abba Father", arise Answering touches of love - This is by power I derive Through what the Spirit now does And His abundant supply.

If I need guidance to move Into more spiritual realms Fleshliness must be eschewed - None can approach them unless Led by the Spirit of truth; He who has searched in the depths Gives me the power to pursue.

If I am joined to the Lord Gaining His impulse within, Answering here to His thoughts, It is the Spirit who links; If with the saints Christ has bought Fellowship now can exist It is the Spirit who bonds.

If I am soon vivified, Even my body transformed, Who is such quickening by? Not merely "by" - but "because"! Since God's own Spirit is live In me what would be a corpse Will be, like Christ, glorified.

Saturday, 3 December 2016

First, who is there?The Son,
Having made purification of sins,
Jesus the Son of God, able
To sympathise as High Priest;

The Minister of the holy places
And of the true tabernacle,
The Leader and Completer of faith,
Who endured the cross, Jesus,

And the One who says to faithful
Saints, “I will be to you for a Father”,
The Father of lights in whom is neither
Variation nor shadow of turning,
The God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
The Father of glory, of whom Jesus
Said not only, “my Father” and “my God”.
But also, “your Father” and “your God”

And the Holy Spirit of God
Is privy to conversations
Of heaven.He brings to saints
On earth communications heard
Above, so that God’s thoughts
Are known by alert Christians.

There are books there – one
Written before God, His record
Of those who fear Him, who often
Speak together; and the book
Of life of the slain Lamb – where
Are registered the names of the firstborn;
And – rejoice! – my name is written.

And are there the books
The movements of Christ here
Which the world cannot contain?

Blessing is there, stored
For outpouring through the windows
Of heaven; and mercy in which god
Is so rich; the riches of his
Grace; and the kindness of God.

And there are thrones there:
The throne of grace to which approach
Is so welcomed, facilitated by
Our sympathizing High Priest,
Where is store of mercy
And grace for seasonable help;

And the Father’s throne, where sits
Jesus, the Overcomer, crowned
By the Father’s pleasure, while all
This dispensation blessing descends
In the glad tidings of the glory;

And the throne of the greatness
- For “the greatness” is there -
Where our holy, harmless,
Undefiled, separated-from-sinners,
Gone-higher-than-the-heavens
Great High Priest abides
Serving both God and us;

And the throne of God - but
I do not merge or demerge
Thrones – for the Lord Jesus says
The heaven is the throne of God -
But take the force suggested,
And acknowledge divine authority
In the throne of the Supreme Ruler.
And what a display of thrones will be
When Christ takes His own
And enthroned round Him
Will be twenty four elders!
But even now, since we are seated
In the heavenlies in Christ we
Have a place for sitting there,

And there are many abodes
Fitted for the many families
Named and owned by the Father
For His eternal pleasure.
Yet for us the Lord Jesus
Has gone to prepare a place
By His presence in heaven, whence
He will receive us to Himself

And there are angels in heaven,
Demonstrating in created beings
The holy dignity of subjection.
How beautiful is their attendance
On their Master and Lord! How
Beautiful their attention to us,
Lower than angels, but made,
Sons of the Living God;
But what their privilege as having
Before them the evidence of repentance
Of a sinner, seen in the joy
On the face of the Lord Jesus.

For there is joy in heaven,
And peace in heaven, secured
Also by the work of the Lord,
For heavenly things are too
Purified by the better sacrifice;
And there is power to forgive sins.

In vision Peter saw the sheet
Caught up to heaven, to its place
In concept, in Christ, where it remains
Till the time of actuality; when
She will descend with not only God’s
Glory, but with her own shining.

“Suddenly the sentence fell upon
My soul, ‘Your righteousness is in heaven’”;
In Jesus Christ at God’s right hand:
With wisdom, and holiness, and redemption,
For how much there is in one Man,
With everything entirely secure.

And there are relationships: heavenly
In character for a heavenly resolution:
Brethren of Christ, in purpose
And practice; the assembly for Christ;
Sons of the living God:
All established through Christ’s death
His resurrection, ascension and glory:
Relish these heavenly joys!

Heaven is the place of reception
Of prayer: “hear thou from the heavens”
Their prayer; “and their prayer came up
To His holy habitation, to the heavens”.
So the prayers and alms of Cornelius
Went up for a memorial before God.

And Enoch is there, and Elijah,
Caught up into heaven; and I doubt
Moses was returned to his grave.

“Jehovah will open the thee,
His good treasure, the heavens”;
For what a good treasure it is!
The stores of blessing abound,
As what in the past was eternally
In His mind, which will not diminish
In an eternal future, is unladen
Already upon the willing-hearted.

And in heaven’s impregnable vaults
I too keep treasure; where maggots,
Or oxidation can have no effect
And the burglars who make entry
Have jimmied there by repentance!
For I have a deposit entrusted
To heaven, to expend at my coming.

Jehovah stretched out the heavens by
His understanding – amazing to ponder
God presenting Himself as having
“His understanding”; what could be Greater
Than His understanding; everything
Not only created and sustained
But understood by God! Making
The heavens wisdom was beside Him
And now our wisdom is there in Christ
And wisdom is the benefit of His headship.

“But the wisdom from above first is
Pure, then peaceful, gentle
Yielding, full of mercy
And good fruits, unquestioning,
Unfeigned”: all that was seen
In Christ here – and in heaven.

Yet there is fire there; needed
For a holy God; needed
By a loving God’s favour
Who marked by fire His approval
Of the burnt-offerings and their givers,
Moses, and David, and Solomon,
And Elijah …Yet what intensity
When it says, “the mountain burned with
Fire to the heart of heaven”:
Where has the concentration of holiness
Been seen?And where the concentration
Of love?Both at the cross.
How the heart of heaven felt it!

A Philippian was born with the rights
Of a citizen of Rome; the city
Was a colony of that polity;
And we are a colony of heaven
For our commonwealth exists there.

In God’s view it is normal
To have a representative in heaven;
So the children have their angels who continually
Behold the face of the Father;
But the believer has the High Priest
Appearing before the Father’s face
And the righteous Patron with the Father.

Once in actuality a man
In Christ was in heaven, and heard
Things unsuited to our state
In our present mortal condition;
Yet, wonderfully, he could
Hear them, and they embrued his ministry.

LAMED says, “For ever, O Jehovah,
Thy word is settled in the heavens”,
At the mid-point of ALEPH to TAU,
In the grand meditation on “the word”.
Blessed that the active word,
Which runs, which is glorified, which returns
Full, has its place of settledness.

Tuesday, 29 November 2016

Methinks I see with what a busy haste Zaccheus climbed the tree. But, O how fast How full of speed, canst thou imagine (when Our Saviour called) he powdered down again! He ne’er made trial if the boughs were sound, Or rotten; nor how far 'twas to the ground. There was no danger feared. At such a call He’ll venture nothing, that dare fear a fall. Needs must he down, by such a spirit driven; Nor could he fall, unless he fell to Heaven. Down came Zaccheus, ravished from the tree; Bird that was shot, ne’er dropped so quick as he. Francis Quarles (1592-1644)

Monday, 21 November 2016

(A Villanelle) Unmarked by human sins or flawsThe Saviour did the Father's will,The humblest Man that ever was.Within His heart He had God's laws,Which He delighted to fulfil,Unmarked by human sins or flaws.Men would not have this Man becauseDespite temptation He was stillThe humblest Man that ever was.God did not love Him without causeBut chose the Man men wished to killUnmarked by human sins or flaws.He did not wish for man's applauseBut loved the part He had to fill,The humblest Man that ever was.The beauty of His nature drawsOur hearts to honour with a thrill,Unmarked by human sins or flaws,The humblest Man that ever was.For the quote, "The humblest Man that ever was" see:http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/EXPOSIT/28018E.html

Thursday, 17 November 2016

When all were lostThe One Mediator gaveHimselfA ransom for all.It is the Son of GodWho love me and gaveHimselfFor me.Christ has loved His assemblyAnd delivered upHimself For it.And if two neededA shepherd's care, JesusHimselfWent with them.Whilst when they were Folded together HeHimselfStood in the midst.And when the great time comesIt is the LordHimselfWho shall descend for us.He has prepared our place:"I", He has said,"Shall receive you toMyself".

Friday, 4 November 2016

Oh who’s the One who’s worthy to regard the book?The Lion of the tribe of Judah!Oh who’s the blessed One to whom His
people look?The Lion of the tribe of Judah! Oh who is it that’s standing as a lamb
once slainThe Lion of the tribe of Judah! Oh who has overcome sin’s power and
lives again?The Lion of the tribe of Judah! Oh who is it the angels and the saints
acclaim?The Lion of the tribe of Judah!Oh who is it who gained Himself a
glorious Name?The Lion of the tribe of Judah!

Sunday, 30 October 2016

Eargate was derelict, and mouthgate skewed
While great was the disorder in the keep;
How could the curate’s visit do her good
in her last hours?Yet deep could answer
deep.
“The Lord’s my Shepherd”, he began, and found
He heard another voice, feebly at first,
Recounting how God made His grace abound:
The Shepherd came to feed, and quench our thirst.

Out of the depth he called the learning child
Whose voice spoke in the woman’s breaking breath;
Words of God’s house, home of the reconciled
Were on her lips as going into death.

Deep answers deep; the Shepherd’s tender arm
Had folded her from pain, neglect and harm.

Monday, 10 October 2016

I look into my BibleAnd it is brightly litWith grace and truth and mercyFor Jesus is in it.I look up to the heavenWhere grace would have me sit:A place of love and gloryFor Jesus is in it.I look into my bosomWhere all was once unfit,Now filled with love and gladnessSince Jesus is in it.

Sunday, 2 October 2016

Just looking at this passage of ministry again and thought it was something to share:

Extract from comments on the Oblation, Leviticus 2

In a word, then, His humanity was perfect, all subject to God, all in immediate answer to His will, and the expression of it, and so necessarily in harmony. The hand that struck the chord found all in tune: all answered to the mind of Him whose thoughts of grace and holiness, of goodness, yet of judgment of evil, whose fulness of blessing in goodness were sounds of sweetness to every weary ear, and found in Christ their only expression. Every element, every faculty in His humanity, responded to the impulse which the divine will gave to it, and then ceased in a tranquillity in which self had no place. Such was Christ in human nature. While firm where need demanded, meekness was what essentially characterised Him as to contrast with others, because He was in the presence of God, His God, and all that in the midst of evil, — His voice was not heard in the street, — for joy can break forth in louder strains when all shall echo, "Praise his name, his glory".

Tuesday, 27 September 2016

"Amen, amen",
These were Thy words, O Lord;
And those Thy truth acquired Thee bow
Acknowledging with joy that Thou
Art the Amen. Faithful and TrueThou wilt come forth to judge;All powers will bend before Thy might,All kings be subject to Thy right;Faithful and True.Thou art the WordAs come near as a Man;
Through Thee the mind of God is known;
In Thee the min of God is shown:
Thou art the Word.

Sunday, 25 September 2016

Christ Jesus came into the worldTo save me and you in our sins;In Him all our guilt is removed;In Him our new blessing begins.And thus we rejoice in the ManChrist Jesus, the ransom for all,Who faithfully answers God's heartAnd faithfully answers our call.And thus let the mind that was inChrist Jesus imbue His redeemed,While He who descended in loveIs daily more fully esteemed.Rejoice: you are chosen in HimAnd reached through His down-stooping ways:Rejoice: the assembly in HimForever will live for His praise.

Sunday, 18 September 2016

Jesus Christ is the SameIn His Person and powers;What a glorious Name:Jesus Christ is the Same!He who took all our blameIn those three dreadful hours,Jesus Christ, is the SameIn His Person and powers.Jesus Christ is the SameIn His grace and His love,On this earth, where He came,Jesus Christ is the Same;From the cross in its shameTo the glory above,Jesus Christ is the SameIn His grace and His love.Jesus Christ is the SameSince He is the I AM;So in all He becameJesus Christ is the Same;Though the One we acclaimIs our Passover LambJesus Christ is the SameSince He is the I AM.

Saturday, 10 September 2016

Our life was moral death, and none could stir itTo answer to the God of love and light;But the Last Adam is a quickening spiritWho gave true life, and brought us out of night.Our sin-bound souls required a liberatorTo let us taste the grace God loved to grant;We learn the blessings through the MediatorAs Spirit of God's better covenant.

Wednesday, 7 September 2016

God has a better covenant in in mindWith better promises, now consonantWith Thine own blood, and therefore less confined,O Mediator of the covenant!This covenant would be entirely newBecause the first man proved recalcitrantAnd through Thy blood this blessing is in viewO Mediator of the covenant!Through Thee, its spirit, it is always fresh,A covenant which no one shall supplant,Inscribed on tables not of stone, but flesh,O Mediator of the covenant!

Saturday, 27 August 2016

Peace is preached by Jesus Christ(He is Lord of all things)For His sacrifice sufficedFor both great and small things;Jesus Christ remains the Same,Then, and now, and always;We have blessing in His NameIn both great and small ways.Jesus Christ the Righteous OneIs propitiation;Jesus Christ God's only SonBrought our souls salvation;Jesus Christ the crucifiedSaved us by His dying:Once for all our Saviour died,For our sanctifying.In this world where sin and painMakes things seem disjointed,Jesus Christ will come to reignAs the Man Anointed:Good and vile with one accordWill pronounce the story:Jesus Christ alone is LordTo the Father's glory.

Thursday, 25 August 2016

We are those whom His blood has secured;We are those for whose sake He endured,Whom the Father and Spirit allured; We are all that He has in the world.We are those He has reached by His grace,And secured for a heavenly place;Till the time when we gaze on His face We are all that He has in the world.He has called us His brethren and friends;By His spirit His blessing descends;As the church who His glory defends We are all that He has in the world.

Sunday, 21 August 2016

He has no throneHere; no crown;No sceptre: we are allHe has in the world.So - what nourishing!What cherishing: His daily bounty,Since we are allHe has in the world.He has no selectNation; because His ownReceived Him not; weAre all He has in the world.By why these pains, theseChastenings? He sits, a refinerAnd purifier of silver; forWe are all He has in the world.He will have His throne, HisChosen people: but seeing His brideWill remember always she onceWas all He has in the world.

Friday, 19 August 2016

"They shall smite the Judge of IsraelWith a rod upon the cheek",Though His deeds were always righteous,And His ways were always meek."They shall smite the Judge of IsraelWith a rod upon the cheek",Though they were the needy peopleWhom His love had come to seek."They shall smite the Judge of IsraelWith a rod upon the cheek",Though His blessing was unboundedAnd His patience was unique."They shall smite the Judge of IsraelWith a rod upon the cheek",Since they formed, against Messiah,A nefarious, lawless clique."They shall smite the Judge of IsraelWith a rod upon the cheek",In contemptuous rejectionOf the words He had to speak."They shall smite the Judge of IsraelWith a rod upon the cheek",Since there was no sin within HimAnd no lust for sin to pique."They shall smite the Judge of IsraelWith a rod upon the cheek",Who will come in power and gloryTo avenge the poor and weak.

Sunday, 14 August 2016

We give Thee praise, our Great High Priest,Jesus the Son of God,Help of the weakest and the least,The poorest and most odd;While heavens through which Thou hast passedAcclaim the glory which Thou hast.

Thursday, 4 August 2016

Before the years of testingAmid our world of sin,Where failure was around Thee,Perfection was within;Before the final trauma,Before the fight was won,Enamoured by Thy beautyGod said, "Thou art my Son".

Wednesday, 3 August 2016

Thou didst come in displayingThe glory men could know;As Man Thou wast expressingWhat God is, here below;Thy care in all Thy footstepsWas that His will be done;He was to Thee as Father,Thou wast to Him as Son.

Monday, 1 August 2016

We see the stars in heavenAnd view the sea and land,Acknowledging that all thingsWere founded by Thy hand;But Thou hast come in manhoodTo be God's holy One,And in His love and favourHe owned Thee as "the Son".

Wednesday, 20 July 2016

Thou art the Star of the morning;Thou art the Bright Morning Star;Saints, in the midst of man's scorningWelcome Thy light from afar:Star of the morning,O what a source of delight!Soon Thou wilt have Thine assemblyShining with heavenly light.Thou art the Star of the morning;Thou art the Bright Morning Star;Shining with heaven's adorningInto the night where we are.Star of the morning,O what a source of delight!Soon Thou wilt have Thine assemblyShining with heavenly light.